Forum Challenge Booklet
by ScipioPB
Summary: Here I'm going to be putting all of my forum challenges for all the various forums I am a part of. Feel free to read and enjoy!
1. Cold

**This challenge is for the LightClan forum, and my word was _Cold._**

* * *

Brownkit squeezed his amber eyes shut against the snow. It was a blizzard, not good weather for a kit, especially a young one like the light brown tabby tom. He had remembered what had happened earlier that day that lead up to his voyage through the icy forest.

* * *

"I bet Brownkit couldn't last a second out in the forest," Petalkit whispered.

"He's too small," Whitekit agreed.

"I overheard Brightstar say that she was going to delay his apprentice ceremony another moon just because of his size," Shadekit giggled.

Brownkit sighed. He was hiding behind the nursery in a secret spot he never told any of the older kits, listening to their conversation about him. He slowly padded out of his spot and four heads whipped toward him.

Petalkit smirked. "Well if it isn't Smallkit," she teased. "What are you doing back there? Talking to rocks?"

Brownkit frowned. "No, I wasn't hiding," he muttered. "I was… thinking."

"Thinking about what? You're delayed apprenticeship?" Shadekit laughed.

"Yeah, Shorty!" Whitekit taunted. Petalkit flicked her tail at the white tom and he shut his mouth, looking down at the ground.

"Brownkit, come here!" his mother, Cherryfrost, called him. He reluctantly went over to her. "Oh look at you! You're so dirty, Brownkit! Here, let me clean you up."

"I can do that by myself, Cherryfrost," Brownkit grumbled, ducking away from his mother.

"Nonsense! You need to be clean, and if I won't, who will?"

"Yeah, Smallkit! Let her groom you," Petalkit mocked. Petalkit, Whitekit, and Shadekit burst out laughing while Fawnkit sat still, looking at her sister in disgust. Fawnkit looked back at Brownkit in embarrassment, silently apologizing for her sister's actions. He mouthed an '_it's ok'_ to her and she smiled a bit. Cherryfrost finished grooming him and he fluffed up his fur from the cold.

Cherryfrost looked up at the sky. "It's getting a little late, you kits need to go to sleep," she mewed quietly. The three kits nodded and laughed all the way back to the nursery. Cherryfrost followed them, leaving Fawnkit and Brownkit out in the nearly-deserted clearing.

"It's ok." Fawnkit's mew brought him back to the present. He looked at the speckled she-cat.

"What is?" he asked curiously. He looked at the stars being covered up by dark storm clouds. He heard Fawnkit get up from her spot and sit next to him.

"To be different," she answered. "Different isn't always bad, it has its good qualities as well."

"Yeah, well, you're the first," Brownkit mumbled.

They stayed silent for a while before Fawnkit spoke up. "Don't take my sister's taunts to heart, Brownkit. They're just empty threats and teases," she meowed.

"It's a little hard to ignore them when they're all true," the light brown tabby admitted.

"But they're not."

Brownkit looked at the she-cat while Fawnkit kept staring at the sky. "Yes, you are a bit smaller than regular kits, but that makes you all the more special. You are the way you are, so embrace your differences," she encouraged.

They stayed silent again till Brownkit spoke up this time. "Thank you, Fawnkit. I needed that," he mewed.

Fawnkit smiled. "Anytime. We should probably get back to the nursery before Cherryfrost comes back out and yells at us."

Brownkit nodded and slipped into the nursery with Fawnkit on his heels. He jumped into his nest and saw Fawnkit do the same.

"Good night!" he whispered to the speckled she-cat.

"Good night!" she repeated before laying her head down. Brownkit saw the steady rise and fall of her chest and decided it was time for him to sleep too. He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to come, but it didn't.

* * *

Brownkit whimpered a bit at the sharp sting of the frigid air on his short fur. He felt his tiny body shake and shiver. _I shouldn't have gone out just to prove myself to the others,_ he thought to himself. He opened his amber eyes slightly and saw a hollowed out oak tree a head. He fought with what strength he had left and slowly limped over to the fallen tree. He stepped inside and a wave of tiredness washed over him. He laid down on the exposed wood and covered his face with his paws.

"What have I done," he whimpered to himself, his voice almost lost in the wind. "I'm going to die out here alone, just because of Petalkit and the others. I didn't even get to tell some goodbye. Cherryfrost, Embertail the elder," _Fawnkit…_

Brownkit suddenly looked up. He had heard paw steps. He lifted his ice-crusted nose in the air, trying to smell anything, but all he _could_ smell was the wind and snow. He huddled ever closer to the log and watched as the figure got closer. He squinted his eyes and saw a black and white she-cat with some sort of brown skin around her body and head. The she-cat looked up and her amber eyes seemed to gaze into Brownkit's, leaving him temporarily paralyzed. She padded closer and ducked into the log. The she-cat had no clan scent on her, but a faint hint of ginger.

"Hello, little kit," she mewed. Her voice sounded different, but sweet to his ears. She was about his mother's age. "Why are you in this blizzard?"

"Adventuring," he mumbled.

"In a storm?" she asked. She took her paw and took off the part on her head, but it flapped onto her back, attached to the thing on her body. "It's dangerous for a kit you're size."

"I'm not that small," he grumbled. He was too tired to argue with this she-cat.

"Well, did you not like your home? Is that why you are out here?"

"Yes," Brownkit admitted. "They always make fun of me and I'm tired of it, so I ran away."

"Hmm," the she-cat thought. "You could stay with us, if you would like?"

"Us?" he echoed.

The she-cat nodded. "Yes, many of us. We could take care of you, giving you a new name and a whole new life."

"That sounds nice," he murmured wistfully.

"I'll take you to them."

The she-cat grabbed him by his scruff and went back out in the storm. The flap had gone back over her head and she ran through the forest, dodging trees and the snow drifts littering the forest floor. He watched as they entered a cave with many sleeping cats in it. The she-cat took him to a nest that smelt like the she-cat. She laid down in it and set Brownkit down beside her in the nest.

"Thank you, uh."

"Delilah."

_What a nice name. _"Thank you, Delilah."

"Go to sleep, little one."

Brownkit nodded, laying down his head. He heard the she-cat start to say a lullaby.

_"Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when you awake, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves, A moonbeam ray  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

_One of the sweetest lullabies..."_


	2. Shy

**Another one-shot for LightClan!**

* * *

"Petalpaw! Rainpaw! Petalpaw! Rainpaw!"

Petalpaw ducked her head shyly while her brother, Rainpaw, smiled at their clanmates cheering for them. Specklestar purred and slowly walked back in her den. Rainpaw excitedly jumped down and went over to Runningpaw, an older apprentice. Petalpaw slowly jumped down from the Highrock and immediately her mother rushed up to her, showering her with loving licks. He father followed shortly behind.

"Oh, we're so proud of you two!" their mother, Whiteleap, purred. Their father, Grayheart, nodded in agreement.

"You both will make great RiverClan warriors," Grayheart mewed proudly. Petalpaw flinched a bit at the "warriors" part, a little nervous.

Whiteleap noticed and frowned. "Are you ok, Petalpaw?" she asked, concerned. "Are you sick?"

"No, I'm ok," she mumbled. "I'm going to find Splashstorm."

Petalpaw ducked away from her parents and headed toward where her mentor, Splashstorm, and Rainpaw's mentor, Olivewhisker, were talking. Rainpaw was nearby, still talking animatedly to Runningpaw while the older apprentice had a bored expression on his face. She walked up to her mentor and prodded the black she-cat with a gray paw.

Splashstorm looked over at Petalpaw and smiled warmly. "Hello, Petalpaw. I'm guessing you want to know what you're going to do now that you're an apprentice."

Petalpaw ducked her head a bit and nodded slowly. "Well, Olivewhisker and I were just talking about what to do and we decided on battle training! How does that sound?" Splashstorm said excitedly.

Petalpaw nodded her head again, not making a sound. Splashstorm frowned and opened her mouth to ask a question, but Rainpaw interrupted her by coming up to the three cats.

"Hi, Petalpaw! Olivewhisker, what are we going to do now?" he mewed, his green eyes shining.

"We all are going to go battle training," he meowed. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Yes!" Rainpaw gave an excited bounce into the air. He rushed out of camp with the two warriors and Petalpaw trailing behind. She calmly looked around at the area, enjoying the noise of the warm wind through the willow trees that dotted the area. She heard a rustling in the reeds and saw Rainpaw's gray tabby tail disappear through the stalks. She quickened her pace a bit and pushed back the reeds. She saw that a small clearing was here next to a stream. She looked beyond the fighting space and saw the lake. Twoleg kits were swimming around in it, splashing around and making a bunch of noise. Petalpaw flattened her ears against her head, trying to drown out the kit's squealing and focus on her first task as an apprentice.

"Ok you two," Olivewhisker started, facing toward Petalpaw and an ecstatic-looking Rainpaw. "Show us your hunting crouches."

"Hunting crouches? But I thought we were battle training!" Rainpaw protested.

"Getting your hunting crouch down helps you with your fighting skills," his mentor meowed.

Rainpaw grumbled and got into his hunters crouch. Petalpaw did the same.

Splashstorm smiled. "Perfect! Great job, Petalpaw!"

Petalpaw just ducked her ears in embarrassment and got back up.

"Rainpaw, you need to tuck in your paws a bit more, and your tail is waving around a bunch," Olivewhisker pointed up. "Calm down, Rainpaw. Be like your sister and be calm, she sets a good example."

Rainpaw did as he was told and grumbled again. Petalpaw murmured a 'thanks'.

"What was that, Petalpaw?" Olivewhisker asked, getting closer to the she-cat. She murmured her thanks again, a bit louder this time. "Shy one, aye? I thought I couldn't hear you because I'm losing my hearing!"

"You're not old, Olivewhisker!" Splashstorm chirped.

"Thank you, young'n, but I am. Rainpaw might be my last apprentice," he said wistfully. He turned toward Rainpaw. "That is, if I don't die first trying to keep up with you."

Splashstorm laughed while Petalpaw smiled a bit and purred. "Ok you two, now that you've perfected your hunters crouch, we're going to be water battling!"

Petalpaw's eyes widened and her fur stood on end. She gave her chest fur a couple of nervous licks before wadding into the river with her brother and the two warriors.

"Ok get into your hunters crouches, Petalpaw and Rainpaw," Olivewhisker mewed. Petalpaw crouched down, as did Rainpaw, his eyes full of mischief.

"Great. Now it's my understanding that your father has taught you both fighting moves already when you were kits. Impress me." Olivewhisker simply nodded his head and sat down by the shore.

Rainpaw nodded and ran forward, taking Petalpaw by surprise. She fell backward into the water and held her breath as Rainpaw held her under by her shoulders. She tried wiggling out of his grasp, but he held on.

"That's enough, Rainpaw." She heard Splashstorm's mew and smiled gratefully at the she-cat as her grey tabby brother got off of her. She shook out her fur and looked toward Splashstorm. A frown was on her face. "Petalpaw, that was a very simple move, I'm surprised your father didn't teach you how to defend yourself; he is the deputy, after all."

Petalpaw looked down at her paws. "He did, I just wasn't thinking, I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Olivewhisker, could I talk to Petalpaw alone, please?" Splashstorm looked at the brown and black tom gratefully as he nodded and told Rainpaw to go find prey. The grey apprentice dashed off, leaving a trail of water in his wake.

Splashstorm sighed and led Petalpaw out of the water. She sat down near one of the willows and waited for Petalpaw. She hesitantly sat down. _Oh please don't be mad at me…_

"I'm not mad at you, Petalpaw, if that's what you think," Splashstorm mewed, answering Petalpaw's question. Petalpaw looked up.

"You-you're, _not?_" She stuttered. Splashstorm nodded her head and Petalpaw let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Though." The light grey tabby apprentice's head shot up. "I know something's bothering you. It's ok, you can tell me."

Petalpaw shuffled her paws a bit, looking down at her paws again. "Well, about being your apprentice…"

"What, am I doing a bad job? I'm I pressuring you? Oh StarClan, what have I done! You ask to mentor the deputy's kit and then you mess up her training! What kind of mentor are you?" Splashstorm wailed.

Petalpaw shook her head worriedly. "No, no, no! You're doing magnificently!" she mewed quickly. "Wait- you, _asked_ to mentor me?"

Splashstorm nodded sadly. "Yes. I knew it was too much responsibility! I'm such a mouse-brain."

"Then this'll make it worse," she mumbled. Her dark grey mentor cocked her head to the side. "You see, I don't want to be a warrior, I only agreed because I figured I would be looked down on, the deputy's daughter failing at being a warrior apprentice."

"No one's going to look down on you, Petalpaw," Splashstorm mewed softly. She laid her tail on the apprentice's back and gave her a comforting lick. "Do you want to go tell Specklestar?"

Petalpaw nodded, feeling a bit better now that she got it off of her chest. "Won't you be disappointed? Your first apprentice giving up?"

"It'll be ok, I'm sure there'll be another opportunity for an apprentice," she meowed a little sadly. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

"Petalpaw, is it your wish to become a medicine cat apprentice?" Specklestar croaked.

Petalpaw nodded her head determinedly. She looked down at her parents; they were smiling up at her, her father's chest proudly sticking out. She looked over at Splashstorm and saw her smiling. Petalpaw couldn't help but smile.

"It is," she mewed.

"You will now be known as Petalpaw. Your mentor will be Blackflame. I hope he will train you to be the best you can be. May StarClan light your path, always."

RiverClan cheered as Petalpaw picked her way down and touched noses with her new mentor. His usually hostile eyes were gentle and kind, something that surprised her. After meowing a quiet thanks to the clan, she went over to Splashstorm who was smiling.

"Congratulations, Petalpaw," she purred.

"Thank you, Splashstorm. I really hope you get your new apprentice soon."

Splashstorm smiled. "Yes, I've been keeping a look out for possible apprentices."

"Well, I'll see you later, Splashstorm," she mewed, waving her tail goodbye.

"Goodbye, Petalpaw!" She paused and silently added, "May StarClan light your new path."


	3. Blood

**Here's a one-shot for QuietClan this time. My word was _Blood._**

* * *

"_There's nothing you can do, Foxpaw."_

"_Yes, there is. Stop telling me that!"_

"_There's nothing you can do…"_

* * *

Foxpaw's eyes flashed open and he scrambled to his paws, eyes wild. He almost fell back down at the burning pain in his shoulder and the throbbing in his head. Taking a deep breath, he slowly limped forward. Immediately, the scent of death washed over him, and he almost choked.

Pushing back a fern with a shaking paw, he dared to glance at the clearing. The sight that met him would be permanently edged into his mind until he died, and would haunt every moment of his life.

* * *

"You will never take over SilverClan territory, Finchstar," a very dark grey she-cat spat.

The speckled tom, Finchstar, growled. "DewClan needs more territory; we have many mouths to feed and not enough prey, Blossomstar."

"There have been two clans here for many seasons; you can't change what StarClan has decreed, even for your own selfish greed."

Finchstar's face broke into a smile and he laughed. "StarClan?" he echoed in disbelief. "You're precious StarClan can't help you now, even if you plead and cry to the stars above."

"Your lack of belief will be you're ultimate downfall, Finchstar," the grey she-cat growled, her green eyes glowing in the dark of the night.

"Then it's your choice: give us some of your territory, and we'll leave peacefully, or, you could refuse and be beaten by us; it's your choice, Blossomstar," the tom said airily, looking down at his warriors, their claws glinting in the moonlight.

The she-cat's eyes were full of rage. "You will never take any territory from us, as long as I and all of my warriors are still standing."

The speckled tom growled. "DewClan, attack!" he screeched. He leapt out of the tree and into the throng of cats, disappearing in the sea of colored pelts and moving bodies.

Blossomstar sighed and looked at the clouds drifting over the moon. _Please, StarClan, give my warrior's strength._

* * *

Foxpaw's eyes widened at the sight that met him. All around the clearing, the bodies of the fallen were sewn about, some with their claws still outstretched and their eyes glinting with rage. Many were slumped against the trunks of the trees in the gathering area.

But what shocked Foxpaw the most was the blood. Blood. _Blood. _Everywhere around there was blood caked into the dusty ground, splattered against plants and trees, and still dripping down wounds of the dead. The sight made him forget about his shoulder as he ran, running away from the sight.

He ran, tears streaming down his face and his ears whipping away in the wind. He skidded to a stop and lay there, putting his paws over his ears. The voices, they wouldn't stop.

"STOP!" he screeched, digging his claws into his head. They moaned and spoke of bloodshed and discord, of a time where the sky turned black and the water ran cold and red, thick with regrets and broken promises. "StarClan, save me!" he desperately cried.

He closed his eyes, but all he could see was the blood-stained clearing and the spirits drifting around, wailing. Suddenly, it stopped. He slowly opened his eyes and found that he was back in the starry clearing before he saw the bloodied ravine.

He looked around for the cat he had talked with earlier, and finally saw her. He tried to run up to her, but his paws were frozen to the spot. She lightly padded up to him, the stars in her pelt shimmering as she walked. She stopped in front of him and touched her nose to his head, smiling. Immediately his injuries began to feel better. The warmth in the she-cat's face made him want to curl up and just stay there.

"What is wrong, little warrior?" she asked.

Foxpaw whimpered slightly. "All of my family, my friends, they're all gone."

Sympathy glinted in her clear blue eyes. "Yes, they have all gone, but they will be remembered for their bravery."

"But that doesn't make them come back," he grumbled.

"It is true that they died unjustly, but you must live the legacy of your clan."

He looked up, his green eyes full of confusion. "What do you mean?"

She smiled. "You need to keep the legacy of your clan."

"As in, me being the leader?" he asked.

The silver she-cat nodded. "You must gather more cats and recreate your clan, but without the hatred among one another."

He nodded determinedly. "Ok, I will try."

The she-cat's figure started to fade. "Recreate the clans through hope and love, and demolish the discord and prejudice among them. Remember, only the bravest can stop the bloodshed and show the way to light…"


	4. Never

**Another one-shot for QuietClan. This time my word was _Never._ I hope you like it! It stars a certain... she-cat, that we haven't heard from in a while ;)**

* * *

Never, in my life, had I ever regretted any of my decisions; I never regretted my decision to leave my old life behind, I never regretted joining the clan, and I never regretted defending my place. Joining the can was probably my least-regrettable decisions.

But in that one moment, I made one of the _stupidest_ decisions of my life, and this is how it went all down.

* * *

Hollowpaw woke up to a misty clearing. There was springy grass under his paws and it seemed to sparkle like freshly-fallen dew. He lifted his nose to the air and breathed in, hoping to smell some cat. The grey tom couldn't smell anything.

Suddenly, he heard a twig snap behind him and he whirled around, his yellow eyes flashing with fear. A tortoiseshell she-cat came out of the small woody area near where Hollowpaw was. He carefully moved toward the unusual cat that seemed to not know he was coming.

He waved a paw in front of the cat's eyes and she didn't move; she didn't even blink. "Um, hello?" he asked. The she-cat growled and pushed past the tom.

"Get out of my way! I don't need meddlesome apprentices in my way! I thought in StarClan it was _peaceful_," the she-cat hissed.

Hollowpaw looked at her confused. "This is StarClan?"

"Well it ain't the Dark Forest, badger-brain," she scoffed. The apprentice walked up to the she-cat and waved his tail in front of her face.

"Can you see me?" he asked.

"No, I'm blind," she deadpanned. _So that's why her eyes look fuzzy,_ Hollowpaw thought.

"Why am I here?" her asked the blind she-cat.

She fixed her cloudy eyes on the grey apprentice, seeming to look through his fur. He fluffed it up a bit. "Beats me. It's probably some prophecy or something ridiculous like that. Though, I'm surprised they would give one to an apprentice…"

Hollowpaw looked back at the tortoiseshell. "What do you mean?"

"Apprentices are irresponsible and mischievous, not serious and hark working like _real_ warriors; those cats deserve prophecies," she mewed, turning away from the tom.

"But I'm responsible," he meowed, treading after the she-cat.

She laughed. He pulled back his ears as a shriek-like cackle came out of the she-cat's foul mouth. "_Responsible?_ You say you're _responsible?_ I don't think so."

Hollowpaw's yellow eyes glinted with rage. "I am _to_ responsible! Test me! I'm sure I'll pass!"

The tortoiseshell's eyes glinted with something Hollowpaw could not distinguish; something between interest and success. "Oh, well I'm sure I could test you… but I wouldn't want to crush your spirits if you don't pass."

"Give me your best," he stated boldly.

"Ok, ok, you've convinced me," she mewed airily. "Here's what I need you to do." He nodded and scooted forward, trying to hold onto every word the she-cat said. "There's this cat that's causing me trouble; he's trying to steal my prey and he bothers a lot of the other cats here. I need you to go… show him his place, shall you say."

"Show him his place?" Hollowpaw echoed.

She nodded quickly. "Yes! Show him whose boss! Tell him to leave little ole' me alone so I can live my life peacefully for a change."

The grey tom thought about it for a moment before slowly nodding. "Alright, I'll do it!"

"You promise?" she asked, her sightless amber eyes getting closer to the apprentice's own yellow ones.

"I promise," he replied strongly. She smiled wickedly.

"That's so great, Hollowpaw, I knew you were different than your other clanmates," she purred, but it sounded more like a cough. "Just remember, I _never_ forget a promise."

He turned away and headed toward where the she-cat originally came from. He looked over his shoulder. "I'll make you proud!" he shouted back. He stopped in his tracks and turned around. "What's your name?" he yowled.

She hesitated before responding. "Names aren't important, but you can call me… Mapleshade."


	5. Alone

**Hey! This is a one-shot for StormClan titled _Alone._ I hope you like it!**

* * *

Snowkit clawed at the ground in frustration. _Why were they ignoring him? Was it something he said? _Ever since he had joined the clan a half moon ago, nobody talked to him, played with him, or even acknowledged him. He had heard them whispering about him, things he either couldn't understand or couldn't hear clearly enough. The white tom had grown accustomed to the silence, but it still bothered him.

_Snowkit…_

Snowkit twitched an ear as he thought he heard his name being called.

_Snowkit…_

There it was again. The kit looked around warily. "W-who's there?" he called out.

_Snowkit… you are not alone…_

"Who are you!" he shouted more forcefully. He wasn't worried about his "clanmates" hearing him; he was far enough away from camp, and he figured they hadn't even realized he left.

_Names are not important…_

Snowkit grumbled. "Then what do you want?"

_Snowkit… follow the light…_

"Follow the what?"

_The light, Snowkit… follow the light…_

Right after the mysterious figure spoke, the white and black-speckled tom saw what he figured must be what it was talking about; a beam of silver light appeared before him, and when he lifted a paw to touch the light, it suddenly moved away from him, farther into the territory. The kit looked at it skeptically, wondering if it was a cruel prank one of his "clanmates" decided to pull on him. But after thinking about it for a bit (finally concluding that they were too dimwitted to think of anything nearly as good as it seemed), he took one careful step forward, then two, three, four…

Just as he was about to reach the light again, it moved. Snowkit raced after it, his curiosity getting the best of him, and threw caution to the wind. _Just this time,_ he promised himself. The white tom was just a snowy blur as he ran after it. It changed directions so many times, he got lost within his own territory. For all he knew, he could be out of the territory altogether…

Snowkit skidded to a stop when the light suddenly disappeared. He looked up and his yellow eyes widened in surprise. Dew-speckled ferns covered the entrance to a shimmering pool. The sun had set while he was running and the small claw of a moon was visible in the pool's reflection. For a reason he didn't know the exact answer to, the white tom was drawn to the serene, mirage-like atmosphere of it. As if in a daze, he slowly padded up to the pool, his paws slipping into strange, paw-like markings on the ground. Snowkit laid down and pressed his nose to the glimmering water, almost on instinct. Almost immediately, his vision dimmed and he was thrown into a pit of seemingly-endless darkness.

* * *

Snowkit blinked open his eyes to find himself laying on a stone floor, his white fur jostled and windblown as if he had actually fallen through a pit. The light was minimal, so when a great flash of the silver light before appeared, he flinched and tried to shield away from the blinding glow. He heard pawsteps and tried to look beyond the silver beam. A shadow passed over him and he could finally open his golden orbs. A cat-like figure stood before him and he looked at the cat in kit-like wonder.

"Snowkit."

The speckled tom recognized the voice. _The mysterious figure…_

"Snowkit… you will never be alone…"

Snowkit opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. All he could do was watch as the figure spoke without moving his mouth.

"You will never be alone, Snowkit… Do you believe in what you see?" the voice asked.

The tom kit just barely nodded when the cat touched his nose to Snowkit's forehead.

_Your loyalties will be tested, Snowkit… But remember… you'll never be alone…_


	6. Young Lives

**Hey again! Another challenge titled _Young Lives _for StormClan. Please read and enjoy!**

* * *

Starlingkit glared in Badgerpaw's direction. _Why does _he _get to be an apprentice before us?_ He _was the one who kept sneaking out of camp!_ The brown-and black tom felt bitterness well up inside of him, and immediately he felt jealous of the new apprentice, who Starlingkit used to call his "friend". Even though Badgerpaw was a half-moon older than him, the tom kit still thought he should _at least _have his ceremony delayed to his own. _I thought sneaking out was a bad thing, but I guess I was wrong._

Starlingkit had heard from Pricklepaw that there were reports from warriors saying that there was something killing and eating prey from their territory. Apparently, the mysterious threat hadn't tried to hide what they were doing because blood and feathers or fur were always around the crime scene. Starlingkit had always yearned to be out there, helping solve the issue. _Maybe now's my chance, and maybe I'll become an apprentice for helping…_

* * *

"Ok, here's the plan. We're going to sneak out of camp to try and find what's been stealing the prey."

"B-but isn't that dangerous?" a creamy brown she-cat whispered, shaking slightly.

A grey tom smirked. "You're not afraid, are you Applekit?"

Applekit growled quietly. "No I'm not, Stonekit!"

"Well, I'm staying here," Swallowkit hissed from beside Stonekit. "I'm not going to risk my life for something mouse knows is dangerous to do."

"But don't you want to be an apprentice?" Starlingkit asked, hope glinting in his yellow eyes.

Swallowkit scowled. "Not this way," the fluffy she-cat mewed.

The hope in the brown-and-black tom's eyes faded and a look of hurt replaced it. "Fine then, we don't need you anyway."

"Are we ready to go?" A russet tom asked, shifting on his speckled paws.

Starlingkit nodded. "Yes Antkit. Let's take the dirtplace tunnel to sneak out."

The group of four kits nodded while Swallowkit huffed and looked away. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you."

Starlingkit led the way with the other three trailing behind. They ducked into the dirtplace and climbed up and out of the camp. They had to sneak around the front, so Stonekit grabbed a pebble and threw it as far as he could into a bush on the other side of the warrior who was guarding the camp, Emberstorm. The ginger warrior's head whipped over to the bush, and while her blue eyes scanned around the area, the four kits snuck around and bolted out of the immediate area. Starlingkit smiled toward his fellow kits. He saw Stonekit, his eyes full of determination, bouncing from paw to paw in anticipation, while Applekit was shifting toward Antkit. _Scaredy-mouse. _

They continued on until they reached the area Pricklepaw had told the tom kit the last sighting was. And as Pricklepaw had described, the area was covered in blood and feathers from a pigeon. The whole clearing reeked of something bad, but he couldn't place a name to the smell. The best he could say was it smelt like rotten meat and death. And it couldn't have been better. Starlingkit continued on until the sticky red path stopped in front of a cave. There it was laying ominously in front of them.

"Let's see what's in there," Stonekit growled, smiling maliciously.

He grabbed another pebble and hurled it into the cave, listening as it clattered somewhere inside. They waited for something to come out, but nothing did. The grey tom readied another pebble when thundering pawsteps were heard a distance away. The scent from earlier washed over the group and Applekit squeaked, trying to run away from the area. As she left, Applekit's yowl was heard as well as howling. _Dogs._

They stood there in shock until the dogs rounded the corner. Their eyes glinted with murderous rage. Blood dripped from their mouths and Starlingkit let out a gasp as he saw one of them with creamy brown fur stuck in its claws. _Applekit!_ The brown creatures howled and tore towards them. Realization struck the group and they leapt at the dogs.

Starlingkit tried to swipe at one of the dog's muzzle and felt success surge through him as he hit his target. It wasn't hard enough and the dog ducked down to bite where the tom kit had been a moment before, going in-between the dog's legs. Starlingkit looked over at the other kits and saw Antkit on top of one of the dogs.

"This is for Applekit!" he yowled, scratching at the dog's eyes and ears. The dog howled and shook off Antkit, grabbing him in his jaws. Starlingkit couldn't watch anymore and looked around for Stonekit. The bigger kit seemed to be doing ok, though it was obvious he was getting tired. He was too slow with one of his ducks and the black hound caught him in his mouth and threw him against a tree.

Starlingkit almost let out a sob as he didn't get up. _I just sent all of them to their deaths, just to become an apprentice._ The tom didn't see the dog's jaws coming closer and tried to run away, but he was too late. The creature grabbed him and threw him against another tree. The last thing he saw was all three of the dogs coming at him at once. _Forgive me, StarClan… I should have listened..._


End file.
